BVI becoming a dumping ground
Political commentator and clergyman Claude Skelton Cline has raised concerns about the BVI becoming a dumping ground for derelict vehicles, waste, and substandard imports.
Appearing on his Honestly Speaking radio programme, the talk show host urged residents to take responsibility for their environment and stop normalising uncleanliness.
“This is our home,” Skelton Cline stated. “How have we normalised such dirtiness? How is it that we think it is normal and cute?”
Skelton Cline criticised the state of the territory’s waterfronts, which he said have been turned into parking lots for derelict vehicles, boats, and garbage. “Too much of our waterfront space is underdeveloped, and that which is not developed, what do we do? We turn them into parking garages, derelict dead vehicles, boats, garbage dumps, you name it,” he argued.
Those right-hand drive vehicles
The commentator also took issue with the importation of ageing, right-hand drive vehicles, which he said do not meet proper emission standards and quickly become abandoned along the roadsides.
“We are allowing these things in the Virgin Islands, further contaminating our airspace. We are dying from all kinds of cancers, and we don’t know where it is coming from,” he explained.
His concerns echo previous debates about the environmental impact of older vehicles in the territory. In response to similar issues raised last year, Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer announced that legislation was being drafted to restrict the importation of vehicles older than 10 years. Proposed amendments to the Customs Act would impose significantly higher duties on older models, though a full ban was not being considered.
Skelton Cline also criticised waste management practices, accusing residents of contributing to the problem. “You are driving around with garbage on top of your vehicle… You saw it fall, know it fell, and you don’t stop to pick it up,” he said.
He warned that poor environmental practices could have long-term consequences, particularly for the marine industry. “All that stuff ends up in the water, in the ocean, which is a part of our livelihood in more ways than one. We eat from it. We use it as transportation,” he added.
In his appeal to the government, Skelton Cline called for stronger enforcement of existing regulations and new policies to curb environmental degradation. “We have to stop making our waterfront places and spaces dumping grounds,” he urged.
Skelton Cline also emphasised the need for leadership to ensure that BVI remains clean and well-maintained. “If we’re not even going to follow our own rules and laws, then who will?” he questioned.
Copyright 2025 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
Is a septic tank for the rest of the world…All the filt comes here to settle.
with the concept just not the source of this article. This man needs to stop preaching here.
Premier Natalio Wheatley doesn’t care about how the island looks what he cares about is the airport the cruise ships and anything that might make him look good.
The Premier should be ashamed to be seen at these conferences overseas representing the BVI knowing and seeing the condition s in the Territory?
The BVI is the only place I see persons are given permission to fill in the sea and turn it into a dumpsite.
Prime waterfront property being used for dumping or derelict vehicle parking.
True dat! Derelict vehicles spread across the islands.
I was always amazed how the wheel on the correct side made the exhaust emissions sky rocket. People we keep paying this guy to be a consultant. No wonder we never get any reports he is probably writing them with the wrong end of the pencil so he doesnt get lead on the paper and ruin it. I see dumb before but….. oh and the cancers!!! That would be Pockwood Pond. Guess you missed that VI disaster of its own making.
Clord from the time u came from the us running coming here want Big name, you father never own u . U own him, bon bring u around but vote for u ,u want free money from governor can’t go back to the us jail for you but you have a nice wife u should study who going on she
Who going on your wife mother or father. Who says he can’t go back to the US
Talk what you know or shut your mouth.
How you know his father ain’t own Jim. I hope for your sake yours did.
Complain about right hand drive vehicles, we should change to driving on the right that way we could see around the vehicle in front of us
So Mr. Cline, what then should we do about the cruise ships that dock in the harbor and spew tons of smoke into our air, so much so that residents inland as far as Huntums gut and Fahie Hill are complaining of smoke inhalation while sitting in their homes. What do we do about the sewage running in the streets in town, where students have to stroll through raw sewage to get to school, and in the East End, where it collects in potholes in the middle of the road? What, then, should we do about the potholes? Oh, the potholes have grown to into bathpan holes, causing drivers hundreds in vehicle repairs to both old and new vehicles. Our cars must be inspected and roadworthy, but these roads are not carworthy.
Mr.Cline, not everyone can afford 70, 60, or even 50 thousand dollars to buy a car like you. What proof do you have that right-hand drives cause these accidents?
On this topic Mr Cline is correct. His take on right hand drive cars is just noise and unimportant to this conversation. Lack of personal accountability about waste is a problem. Folks can blame whoever they want. The bottom line is when we treat this community like a dumping ground people will treat each-other with disrespect. It’s called broken window theory. Look it up and act accordingly.
I am the one who took that photo after irma. Stop deceiving people.
at least he is speaking about emissions but c’mon talk sense. Left hand drive is not more efficient than right hand drive. Get reliable public transport so people don’t need so many cars. And having nice cars here makes no sense with the crazy drivers and roads and storms mashing up all the cars . irma don’t care if your car is 20 years old or 1 year old or worth 50k or 3k. fix the roads and get a reliable bus system.
This problem can be solved very easily. All we have to do is record the VIN of each vehicle imported or sold in Natures Little Paradise and then hold the owner responsible. All off islanders must post a bond to cover the disposal fee of their vehicle. The bond fund can then pay for the removal of the derelict vehicles?
Now the compressed cars are on a different property awaiting shipments and now there is noise about derelict cars. It must be disturbing some VIP. If we would have a scheduled running bus-service from early morning till late evening we would not need all these vehicles on the road. And I don’t see how that will take bread out of taxi-drivers mouth, when people stop buying cars and can enjoy their hard-earned money for living expenses instead of bank-notes for their cars.